Keighley Cougars kick-off campaign at Batley

Paul March will begin his reign as Cougars player-coach with a trip to Batley in the opening game of the new-look 14-team Championship.

March has been appointed as successor to Jason Demetriou and his men will face the Bulldogs on their infamous sloping pitch on Sunday, February 3.

That is followed by the first home game of the season against Whitehaven on February 10, before the first big derby of the season against Halifax at The Shay the following Sunday.

The Cougars face Karl Harrison’s Halifax in their final home game on Thursday, August 22 before ending their campaign with a trip to Barrow on Sunday, September 1.

A newly-structured Northern Rail Cup will see the eight Championship One clubs compete in two groups of four, with the top team in each section then progressing to join all 14 Championship clubs in the knock-out rounds when the competition intensifies in May.

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